1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to liquid feed dispensers for cattle, horses and other animals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art discloses a number of liquid feeding dispensers, each comprising a housing having a slotted opening, with a feeding wheel positioned in the opening and adapted to be rotated responsive to movement by an animal. The rotating wheel passes through a liquid feed stored in the container, and is thereby presented to the animal outside the container as a result of the rotation. See, for example, the following U.S. Patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. Nos. 338,761 1,190,028 2,158,093 2,293,643 2,651,291 3,459,159 3,802,394 3,952,705 ______________________________________
Arrangements like those described above employ a feeding wheel which is supported in the housing on an axle mounted horizontally in the housing.
During feeding, a cow may rotate the wheel by movement of its tongue across the top of the wheel. More frequently, however, the cow will effect rotation with pressure from its chin. When this is done, a significant amount of pressure is applied to the axle. One of the greatest difficulties in the past with such arrangements has been the breaking of the axle responsive to this constant pressure from cattle.
One attempt to resolve this problem employs an axle made of a high tensile strength metal. Because of the caustic nature of the liquid feeds typically used in such arrangements, it has been found that only stainless is suitable. However, the use of stainless steel for such an axle greatly increases the cost of such an arrangement. Additionally, liquid feeds typically used with such arrangements are highly abrasive, and tend to quickly wear even the stainless steel axles.